


All Players Aboard

by Leni



Series: Cora's Daughter [17]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 05:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: Zelena's curse has been broken, but Emma and her parents still can't go home.





	All Players Aboard

**Author's Note:**

> @nropay asked Rumple & Emma, lock

The whisper of incipient magic announced Emma’s presence as surely as the argument outside the office door. Jefferson was putting up a good fight, but Rumpelstiltskin readied himself to welcome their brand new Savior despite his orders that he not be interrupted for anything less than another curse being cast or, of course, his wife on the phone.

“Gold!”

The door crashed behind Emma, almost hitting Jefferson’s nose.

Rumpelstiltskin indicated with a quick head shake that Jefferson was excused, and wordlessly showed Emma to a chair, counting on the show of civility to break her off her stride.

“Good morning, Miss White,” he said as he laid down the letter of resignation he had yet to present in the assembly scheduled for the afternoon. “I’m surprised to see you’ve stayed in Storybrooke after all.”

The girl huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, succeeding only in her resemblance to a sulky teenager instead of a grown woman of twenty-two. “You’re joking,” she said, irritated. “We can’t leave.”

Rumpelstiltskin tightened his grip on his cane, swallowing down the surge of frustration. He had hoped that, as Emma and her parents had not been under the original curse, the barrier at the town line would have let them through.

To find his son, he needed the search party he’d recruited in the outside world.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he managed in an even tone.

Emma narrowed her eyes, but after a heartbeat she slumped back into the chair. “Well, damn. That was you being honest.” She sighed. “I was hoping you’d angle to get another favor in exchange to getting us on the way back home before tonight.”

Few people were as easy at the prospect of making a deal with him. It helped, he supposed, that Emma had no experience with him as the Dark One. Coming to a local authority for advice was not out of the ordinary in this world.

“I must disappoint you, Miss White. Though only momentarily.” He smiled. Magic was different here, but he was still the most skilled at it. “I advise to hold onto that favor. I’ll call you as soon as I have positive news.”

“I could use those,” Emma muttered, lips pursed with annoyance that want addressed at him. “I just got a text from my brother. He’s on his way here, and he thinks I’m exaggerating when I tell him what a dangerous place this is.” She wrinkled her nose. “I couldn’t even mean it when I threatened to ground him under lock and barrel for the next year if he set a foot out of New York. He has every right to see Mom and Dad as well.”

Emma had spent over half a decade making sure that her brother had as warm and loving home as in her childhood memories, despite their parents’ absence. It made sense that she couldn’t deny him the reunion she had enjoyed the day before.

However, Emma’s flaw was to focus too much on the problem she was picturing in her mind to see that reality didn’t conform to her expectations.

“You worry for nothing, Miss White,” Rumpelstiltskin pointed out. “Buses don’t actually make it here.”

“Leo got hold of a car.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, you told me I come from a resourceful family. Leo is the proof of that. That kid will drive me crazy. Crazier, after this last month.”

He’d heard about young Leopold White often, while helping Emma find her parents, but he must have miscalculated the lad’s age. “One person can only drive so fast from New York. We have at least another day to get you through the town line.”

“Driving? At fourteen?” Emma shook her head. “He’s already asking about a learner’s permit, but no, not yet.” She heaved the sigh of every exasperated older sibling. “He did convince the car’s owner to drive him here, though - and the little snake knows that I won’t be too angry at him if he brings my boyfriend in tow.”

Rumpelstiltskin had heard about the boyfriend as well, though he’d hardly paid attention to her tales of romance and borderline crime.

“Sounds like a dedicated partner,” Rumpelstiltskin said politely.

Emma shrugged, but a light blush signaled she was more invested than she pretended. “He’s a pushover when it comes to Leopold, but other than that, yeah. I guess.” She blushed a little more. “Neal is great.”

Rumpelstiltskin nodded, but he had already dismissed whatever sort of man held the Savior’s heart.

Instead, despite the obstacles that kept getting in the way of his search for Baelfire, he was glad he’d meet the son of Snow White and her charming shepherd.

At last he’d know whether a second True Love child had the same potential as the first.

“Keep me updated,” he asked Emma. “I promised Belle we’d have lunch together, and then I must attend the town meeting; but after that, I’ll be looking into whatever is holding us back.”

Emma nodded without any sign of distrust. How refreshing.

“Fine,” she told him. “I guess I’ll be around. Do try not to get thrown in the cell next to the Wicked Witch.”

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at the idea. Zelena had made the wrong gamble in trying to keep the power the curse had granted her. Greed wasn’t one of his sins. “Thanks for the sentiment,” he said, surprising himself at feeling genuine gratefulness, “but fret not. I already have a plan.”

 

The End  
07/06/18


End file.
